Study of Family Caryophyllaceae

Systematic position/ Classifications:

Venation reticulate, 2 cotyledons                                        Class- Dicotyledons

Perianth with distinct petals & sepals, petals free             Subclass- Polypetalae

Sepals distinct, stamens many,                               

hypogynous disc absent                                                       Series- Thalamiflorae

Placentation free central                                                      Order- Caryophyllineae

                                                                                                Family- Caryophyllaceae     

Distribution: Members of this family are distributed throughout the world especially in temperate regions with 2415 species from 96 genera. In India this family is represented by 105 species and 20 genera. Common species are Stellaria, Saponaria, Spergula, Dianthus,etc. Silene (700 sp.) & Dianthus (300 sp.) are the largest genera.

Salient features:

Plants are annual or perennial herbs. Stem is herbaceous, erect, branched with swollen nodes

.

Leaves are simple, linear to lanceolate, sessile & opposite decussate. In Spergula leaves are dissected from base hence appear in whorled arrangement. Stipules absent, when present it is membranous.

Flowers are in typical dichasial cyme and it becomes monochasial cyme. This development of dichasial to monochasial type of inflorescence is called as cincinnus or caryophyllous type, which is characteristic feature of Caryophyllaceae.  Flowers are solitary in Arenaria & Githago. Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, pentamerous & hypogynous. In Lychnis flowers are unisexual & tetramerous in Sagina.

Calyx- with 5 sepals, poly or gamosepalous, persistent, imbricate. 4 sepals in Sagina.

Corolla- with 5 or 4 petals, free differentiated into a limb and claw. In Stellaria media petals are deeply bifid and in Dianthus ligulate outgrowth called corona on dorsal surface. In Sagina apetala petals are absent.

Androecium- 1 or 8 stamens. In Stellaria it varies from 3-10, arranged in two whorls, filaments connate.

Gynoecium- with 5 carpels, syncarpous, ovary superior, unilocular with free central placentation. Each placenta with one to many ovules. Presence of elongated disc or gynophores. Some time it consists of glands at base.

Fruit- is a dry capsule opening by valves or teeth. Seeds are small, winged, many, attached to central column, endospermic with curved embryo.

Note-

Floral formula & Floral formula:

Morphological peculiarities:

Annual or perennial herbs.

Flowers in monochasial cyme which become polychasial i.e. cincinnus or caryophyllous type.

Number of sepals and petals are equal.

Stamens 1 or 8, sometime 10 in two whorls.

Ovary with free central placentation and sometime glands at base.

Fruits dry capsule open by valves or teeth.

Economic importance & their uses-

In Medicine- Saponaria, Dianthus are used as medicine. Spergula arvensis used as diuretic. Silene apetala used in eye troubles.

Ornamental plants- Due to beautiful foliage and flowers colour species like Lychnis, Arenaria, Dianthus (D. chinensis-China Pink; D. caryophyllus-Carnations, D. barbatus-Sweet Willium) are ornamentally useful.

Present status, affinities, phylogeny & inter-relationship of Caryophyllaceae:

The origin of this family have some controversy. In this aspect according to Eichler it originates from Phytolaccaceae as petals are evolved from outer whorl of carpels.

According to Hutchinson this family is derived from Ranales or from Primulaceae.

This family is related to Portulacaceae based on resemblance by presenc of unilocular ovary with free central placentation.

Relation with Geraniaceae is due to pentamerous flowers and nature of stamens.

Family is related to other families of order Centrospermae (as all have curved embryo & perisperm in seed).

According to Cronquist family has been derived from Phytolaccaceae in the line Polygonaceae. Therefore he kept it under order Caryophyllales of sub class Caryophyllidae.

Thorne recognized 5 sub-orders within Caryophyllales and placed it under monotypic suborder Caryophyllineae.

As per APG classification it has been placed under the order Caryophyllales of APG group: Core Eudicots, a monotypic familial group